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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · wound · bulb · pitch · fall · fan · plane · craft

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — a break
  10. fall — the season
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. craft — boats
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com